Wesley's view of a vibrant faith
John Wesley lived at a time when most of the people of England had some relationship with the national church: The Anglican Church. This however did not mean that most people lived with a vibrant and transforming faith simply because of church membership.
Wesley and many others believed that a lack of vibrancy of faith by many of his day could be traced to a view of faith as simply believing in the articles of religion. These articles (39) were at least confessed as being believed by all in communion with the Anglican Church. Wesley taught that faith was more than an intellectual belief in or the ability to recite the articles of religion. To press his point he stated that one could be as orthodox as the devil by believing or reciting these articles of religion and not be a Christian.
Wesley believed that faith was a personal trust in Jesus Christ for one's forgiveness of their sins. Faith was trust and full recumbence upon Jesus Christ as one's only hope of salvation. This meant that one not only believed these truths as mere facts to be believed or recited but truths to personally rely upon for one's salvation.
REFLECT: How would a vibrant faith manifest itself in daily life? How tempting is it to reduce faith to a confession or mental comprehension and not a personal trust that guides one's daily life and decisions?